Circular clothespin



June 1967 c. R. LOUDERBACK 3,32%,51

CIRCULAR CLOTHESPIN Filed Oct. 20, 1965 Chm/w Lwdwmk INVENTOR Attorney:

2 Claims. c1. 24-137 This application is a substitute for abandoned application Ser. No. 114,219, filed June 1, 1961.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in clothespins and has for its primary object to provide an articles of this character comprising unique means for firmly gripping the clothes and the line.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved clothespin of the aforementioned character which is adapted to be expeditiously applied to the line and removed therefrom.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a clothespin of the character described which is adapted to be applied to the line in substantially any rotatably adjusted position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved clothespin of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing a pair of improved clothespins embodying the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an edge elevational view of the device;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view, looking at the inner side of one of the disks; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view, looking at the inner side of the other disk.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a pair of opposed, coacting, generally conical disks 7 and 8 of a suitable molded plastic or other material. These disks are basically alike, circular in end elevation, properly paired and may be of any practical dimension. Formed integrally with and projecting laterally from the apex of the disk 7 is a pin or the like 9. As shown to advantage in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the companion disk 8 is suitably joined to and fixed on the pin 9. To this end the pin 9 has a suitably flanged free end portion 10.

The thus oriented and coordinating disks 7 and 8 are adapted to wedgingly receive and grip therebetween a clothesline, as indicated at 11, for securing thereon a fabric sheet or article to be dried as at 12. The opposed faces of the disks 7 and 8 have formed integrally therewith semi-spherical bead-like bosses 13 and 14, respectively. The bosses 13 and 14 on the disks 7 and 8 respectively, are intentionally unaligned or staggered and arranged to define, in conjunction with each other, what may be considered tortuous paths or passages 15 between the disks which kink, weavingly receive, and yieldingly grip and friction bind the line 11 with the article 12 folded thereover.

Patented June 13, 1967 It is thought that the use of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the article to be dried is hung over the line 11 in the manner shown in FIGURE'I of the drawing. The clothespin of the present invention, which is designated generally by reference numeral 16, is gripped on one side portion thereof between the thumb and index finger of one hand and the diametrically opposite portion is forced downwardly on the article 12 and the line 11 in an obvious manner. Thus, the line 11 with the article 12 thereon are engaged between the generally conical or concavo-convex disks 7 and 8 in one of the ways or passages 15 defined by the bosses 13 and 14, said bosses flexing or angulating said line for firmly but removably securing the clothespin thereon and for preventing longitudinal movement. It is to be noted that the construction of the device is such that it may be applied to the line in substantially any rotatably adjusted position. To facilitate gripping the clothespins with the fingers, the substantially concave or outer faces of the disks 7 and 8 have formed thereon spaced, concentric annular ribs 17 and 18, respectively. The reference numeral 19 (FIG. 6) designates a centrally located hole or opening in the disk 8 which receives the headed assembling pin 9. The location and arrangement of the anti-slipping lugs or bosses 13 and 14 is such as to prevent the clothespin from rolling on or becoming displaced from the line.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A clothespin of the class described comprising, in combination, a pair of duplicate substantially conical disks made of non-corrodible resiliently flexible material, said disks being in opposed alignment and having inner convex faces and outer concave faces, each outer concave face being provided with integral concentric endless annular ribs constituting and providing antislipping and gripping ribs, the inward axial hub portion of one disk being provided with an integral laterally projecting pin piercing and projecting beyond the central axial hub portion of the other disk and having a terminal end peened against and fixedly joined with said other disk and providing an endless annular clothesline receiving, wedging and garment clamping channel, the inner opposed convex surfaces of said disks having distributively arranged integral semi-spherical bosses, the bosses on one disk being out of alignment with the coacting bosses on the other disk and staggering the bosses relative to each other and defining a plurality of radial and circumferential tortuous pathways for cooperatively and clampingly coacting with the clothesline and clothes or other articles draped over the line.

2. A clothespin comprising a first substantially resiliently flexible conical disk having a central axial pin accommodating hole opening through the inner and outer faces thereof, a second resiliently flexible substantially conical disk corresponding in size and shape to said first disk and provided on its inner face with a lateral axially projecting pin projecting through and outwardly beyond said hole and terminating in a peened rigid head abutting and affixed to a coacting outer axial face of said first disk and cooperatively adjoining said disks one to the other with the then opposed inner faces diverging from the axial center in coacting clothesline receiving, wedging and clamping relationship, coacting distributively arranged semi-spherical bosses fixed on the respective References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 233,964 11/1880 Bear. 374,982 12/1887 Mann 24-118 4 2,022,091 11/ 1935 Scharnhorst 24-255 FOREIGN PATENTS 145,439 2/ 1952 Australia. 5 113,164 2/1918 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES German application F 12,840, September 1956.

10 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

D. A. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A CLOTHESPIN COMPRISING A FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE CONICAL DISK HAVING A CENTRAL AXIAL PIN ACCOMMODATING HOLE OPENING THROUGH THE INNER AND OUTER FACES THEREOF, A SECOND RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL DISK CORRESPONDING IN SIZE AND SHAPE TO SAID FIRST DISK AND PROVIDED ON ITS INNER FACE WITH A LATERAL AXIALLY PROJECTING PIN PROJECTING THROUGH AND OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID HOLE AND TERMINATING IN A PEENED RIGID HEAD ABUTTING AND AFFIXED TO A COACTING OUTER AXIAL FACE OF SAID FIRST DISK AND COOPERATIVELY ADJOINING SAID DISKS ONE TO THE OTHER WITH THE THEN OPPOSED INNER FACES DIVERGING FROM THE AXIAL CENTER IN COACTING CLOTHESLINE RECEIVING, WEDGING AND CLAMPING RELATIONSHIP, COACTING DISTRIBUTIVELY ARRANGED SEMI-SPHERICAL BOSSES FIXED ON THE RESPECTIVE INNER FACES OF SAID DISKS, THE BOSSES ON SAID FIRST DISK BEING STAGGERED RELATIVE TO THE UNOPPOSED BOSSES ON SAID SECOND DISK DEFINING A PLURALITY OF TORTUOUS PATHWAYS CAPABLE OF SELECTIVELY RECEIVING SAID CLOTHESLINE, AND RINGLIKE CONCENTRIC ANTI-SLIPPING AND FINGER GRIPPING RIBS FIXED ON THE RESPECTIVE OUTER FACES OF SAID DISKS. 